Angel of Elysium
by Lord Adrian Richter
Summary: Pyrrha Nikos wakes up in the colony of Mindoir during the Batarian raid. She doesn't know how she got there, but people are clearly in trouble, and she is a Huntress. Little does she know bigger threats will soon show themselves. Formerly known as Huntress Effect.
1. Prologue: The Sacking of Mindoir

Disclaimer: Mass Effect is property of Bioware and EA Games. RWBY is property of Rooster Teeth Productions. Please support the official release.

_"Do you believe in destiny?" Pyrrha asked as Cinder drew an obsidian arrow._

_Cinder glared at the girl staring defiantly up at her, "Yes." She released the bowstring, sinking an arrow into Pyrrha's chest, smirking as the girl dissolved into nothing but dust and a tiara._

* * *

**_January 30, 2170_**

**_Human Colony Mindoir_**

Pyrrha gasped as her eyes shot open. She sat up and felt her chest, where Cinder shot her. There was no arrow, no blood, no scar. As she looked around, people were running and the air was thick with smoke. All she could hear… was screams and gunfire. There were bodies everywhere. Men, women, and children. As she stood, she heard heavy footsteps behind her as what felt like a gun barrel pressed into her head.

Pyrrha, slowly and calmly turned to see a strange looking man. He was bald and had four eyes, with nothing but slits where an actual nose would be. She looked around for anything she could use as a weapon.

She didn't know what, this "man" wanted, but she knew it wasn't good. Quickly, she dropped to the ground and swept her legs under him, knocking him down. She grabbed his weapon and slammed it into his face, knocking him unconscious. She quickly studied the rifle. It seemed simple enough to use; she could sense a large block of metal where the magazine would be. Thinking fast, she fired off a few test rounds, to get a feel for the gun. Then, she ran out, casting an EM field around herself, to look for other people. Any time she ran into anyone with four separate eyes, she fired; no hesitation, no regret. She'd failed at Beacon Tower, she would not fail here.

A group of people were hiding out in what seemed to be a small cafe. "Is everyone alright?" she asked. An older, red haired woman nodded. "Why are those men attacking?"

"They're Batarians," said the red-haired woman. "They raid colonies and take whoever they can as slaves. They took my daughter, Jane."

"I'll find her. I need you all to stay here," Pyrrha said, "I'll do what I can to find other survivors here, alright?"

Without looking back, she ran back into the streets, firing at any Batarians she came across. Any humans she ran into were told to go to the cafe for safety. She tried to focus her Semblance into a polarity field surrounding her body, to try and keep from getting shot.

Eventually, she came to a half-collapsed building with a ship near it. She made her way in, carefully moving things in her way. She could hear what sounded like more Batarians muttering. She looked around and saw a shard of a mirror. With a gesture, she pulled it toward her and peered around the corner. She saw three of them and a young girl with bright red hair who looked very similar to Jane's mother. She seemed unconscious but otherwise unharmed. Pyrrha quickly made note of where the Batarians were and set the mirror shard down.

She took a deep breath, double checking her gun, before rising quickly and opening fire, taking cover as they returned fire. She really wasn't used to this; she'd never been in a firefight before and this was getting out of hand. She had to get to the girl. _This would be so much easier if I had Miló and Akoúo̱…_

She popped up again to fire at the alien closest to the girl, managing to score a headshot. She threw her hand out and pulled at the air, the remaining Batarians' guns were pulled from their grip and against the wall behind her. She quickly took advantage of their confusion and fired, killing both of them. Keeping an eye out for more Batarians she cautiously moved toward the girl.

She checked the girl for injuries and picked her up leaving the building to go back to the cafe. Soon, she could hear the roar of engines and the thunder of large gun turrets, and she encountered fewer and fewer Batarians until all she saw were bodies. As she made her way back to the cafe, she could see the surviving Batarians retreating to their ships and taking off.

Getting back to the cafe, she gently laid the girl on the floor next to her mother, who promptly cried with relief that her daughter was okay. "Thank you so much! I don't know what I would have done if I'd lost my Jane…"

She flushed at the praise, "I only did what was right ma'am."

She staggered over to a booth and passed out, her aura exhausted and her energy spent.


	2. Getting to Know You

_**February 1, 2170**_

_**Infirmary, SSV Tokyo**_

_**En Route to Arcturus Station**_

She woke up several hours later, in what seemed to be an infirmary; blinking lights and medical readouts everywhere. Her chest and ankle felt sore where Cinder's arrows hit her. She noticed that she'd been undressed and redressed in some kind of casualwear. She now wore a fairly comfortable t-shirt and sweatpants.

A woman entered the infirmary. She was older, but not yet fully grey. She smiled as she noticed Pyrrha awake. Something glowed on her arm as she seemed to push buttons . "Our mysterious hero is awake," she said in what sounded like a high Mistrali accent.

"That was quite the impressive display, young lady," the woman said as she turned to Pyrrha. "Captain Anderson and I saw the footage of you fighting off Batarians. No sign of biotic energy, yet you seemed to be throwing them around like they were nothing without even touching them. I'm Doctor Karin Chakwas, by the way. What is your name?"

"My name is Pyrrha Nikos. May I ask where I am?" Pyrrha asked.

"That's an easy enough question to answer," the doctor replied. "You're in the infirmary onboard the _SSV Tokyo,_ an Alliance vessel."

"Alliance? I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with any Alliance…"

Dr. Chakwas looked concerned, "The Systems Alliance? Humanity's military and exploratory service?"

"I'm sorry," Pyrrha lamented. "I have a feeling I'm a long way from home."

"And where are you from, Miss Nikos," the doctor asked. "None of the Mindoir survivors recall seeing you before the raid. By the way, Hannah Shepard sends her regards and hopes you'll be able to visit. You did a good thing."

Pyrrha's cheeks flushed from the praise. "I'm from a country called Mistral, specifically the city of Argus."

"And where is Mistral? What planet is that on?" the doctor asked.

The door to the infirmary opened with a _hiss_ and a dark skinned man walked in. He had an air of experience about him. He carried a tray of food. Doctor Chakwas turned to greet the man and went back to her office.

"Captain Anderson, this is Pyrrha Nikos," Chakwas introduced her. "Pyrrha, this is Captain David Anderson. He is in command of the _Tokyo._"

The captain sat down on the bed next to Pyrrha's, "It's a pleasure to meet you, miss Nikos," he said handing Pyrrha the tray. "I can't thank you enough, for what you did on Mindoir, you saved a lot of lives."

Pyrrha nodded her thanks for the food, "I only did what I've been trained to do: Protect the innocent and fight evil. Those… Batarians… were killing innocents or worse. They had to be stopped."

"You're definitely right about that, Pyrrha," the captain agreed. "I'd like to know how you did that. If you don't mind. No biotics to speak of yet you were throwing Batarians around like they were nothing. You seem to have been well trained, very few untrained civilians can move like that. Hell, I've never seen any soldiers move like that. May I ask where you received your training?"

"My world is called Remnant," Pyrrha replied, between bites of oatmeal. "It is home to four kingdoms: Mistral, Atlas, Vale, and Vacuo. I hail from the kingdom of Mistral, but for the past year or so, I'd been living in Vale for school. I studied at Beacon Academy, where Huntsmen and Huntresses are taught to fight monsters and protect the innocent. I suppose you've never heard of Remnant though… "

"I'm unfamiliar with Remnant," Anderson said, seeming confused.

Pyrrha's heart sank. Any hope of being taken back to her friends… to Jaune evaporated. "I see…" she set her barely touched food tray aside.

"I'm sorry, Miss Nikos. Pyrrha," the captain said, sincerely. "I'll ensure you have some place to stay for now. Please, if there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."

Anderson got up and, after placing a comforting hand on Pyrrha's shoulder, left without another word, leaving Pyrrha to really focus on what exactly had happened in the past two days.

Her eyes watered As everything sank in and Pyrrha fully understood her situation. She was never going home. Her parents, her friends, Jaune, she was never going to see them again. She had never felt so alone before. All the emotion and pressure that had built up over the past week started to bubble up and finally exploded. A cry of anguish escaped from Pyrrha as her power exploded around her. The walls buckled inward and the biobeds were crushed. Her tray of food went flying and slammed into the wall as she sank to the floor.

As Doctor Chakwas came to see what all the noise was, she was shocked to see the state of the infirmary, as Pyrrha sobbed on the floor. As she left the room, to give the girl time, she heard a quiet, "I'm sorry…"

* * *

The next morning, Doctor Chakwas and Captain Anderson cautiously entered the infirmary, and were shocked to see nearly everything back to normal, as if their guest hadn't just let loose a Singularity. Pyrrha was sitting on one of the less damaged biobeds, seemingly meditating. Pyrrha turned to them as they approached.

"Good morning," she wore a sad smile on her face; she was intent on at least remaining cordial with the ones who had taken her in. "I'm sorry for my outburst yesterday, I'm normally much more composed… I did what I could to restore your infirmary."

"Miss Nikos," spoke Anderson quietly. "That was quite a display of power… I'd like to thank you for fixing our infirmary. I won't hold it against you; you've been through a lot. Now that you're awake again, Dr. Chakwas needs to examine you, if you don't mind."

"This won't be anything invasive;" Dr. Chakwas assured. "I've already done blood work and other things. All seems fairly normal, aside from the odd blood type, but I'd put that towards your different origins. Mostly this will be a physical fitness test. I'd like to see if your ordeals have had any effects on your body.

Pyrrha nodded her assent. "I'd be happy to cooperate any way I can."

She slid off the bed and stood. Though somewhat unsteady at first, she followed Doctor Chakwas to the ship's small fitness center.

* * *

Doctor Chakwas's examination was just as she said, physical capabilities. First, she was made to run on a treadmill; starting from a walk, to a jog, and then a full run. They noted there was a slight limp in Pyrrha's right leg, which Chakwas chalked up to a psychosomatic side effect of being shot in the ankle and the trauma of the battle at Beacon.

Next she was made to lift weights and perform basic calisthenics. The testing lasted most of the morning and, by the end, Pyrrha was exhausted.

* * *

At lunch, Pyrrha sat with Dr. Chakwas and Captain Anderson as the doctor went over her results.

"According to these results, Pyrrha, you're physically fit," Chakwas said. "Beyond physically fit. One hundred meters in twelve seconds? A max bench press of 226 kg? I didn't find anything resembling steroids or augmentations in your examinations. I can't explain how you could be capable of this.

"But somehow you are… You're as strong as the average Krogan and faster than the average Turian, but everything about you says you're human. It's incredible! If I didn't know better, I'd assume you were a super soldier…"

Anderson raised an eyebrow, "Is everyone from Remnant like this or are you a special case?"

Pyrrha shook her head.

"Only those with their Aura unlocked have these enhancements." At the confused look on their faces, Pyrrha continued, "Aura is the manifestation of one's soul It bears our burdens and shields our hearts. With practice, our Aura can be our shield. By baring your soul outward as a force, you can deflect harm. All of our tools and equipment are conduits for Aura. You protect yourself and your soul when fighting. This was how I was 'shrugging off bullets' as you put it, Captain.

"But even Aura has limits. Go too long without rest and your Aura will break. If I run out of Aura, I can still fight, but I won't be able to use my Semblance and will be limited in my physical capabilities. I'm only as fast and strong as I am because of my Aura."

"That's fascinating, Pyrrha!" Chakwas exclaimed.

Anderson nodded, "It really is. Not to sound like a recruiter, but that's exactly the sort of thing we could use in the Navy. That's entirely up to you of course, but you should consider it. You'd be working to defend humanity and our allies."

"May I have some time to consider the decision?"

"Of course. Take all the time you need." Anderson stated. He stood to excuse himself, "I'll be in my office. Feel free to have Dr. Chakwas send for me once you make your choice."


	3. Thirteen Years Later

_**November 7, 2183**_

_**Bridge, SSV Normandy**_

_**En route to Eden Prime**_

"_Well, what about Nikos? She grew up in the colonies."_

"_She knows how tough life can be out there. Her family was killed when slavers attacked Mindoir." _

"_She proved herself during the Blitz. Held off enemy forces on the ground until reinforcements arrived."_

"_She's the _only _reason Elysium is still standing"_

"_We can't question her courage… Or her skill, for that matter…"_

"_Humanity needs a hero… and Nikos is the best we've got. She's the best of all of us."_

"_I'll make the call."_

* * *

"_The Arcturus Prime relay is in range. Initiating transmission sequence."_

Pyrrha heard Joker's voice over the intercom as she approached the bridge, nodding to her crewmates as she passed. Some saluted her, but she paid them no mind. She was used to the hero worship at this point.

"_We are connected. Calculating transit mass and destination. The relay is hot. Acquiring approach vector. All stations: Secure for transit."_

As she got to the cockpit, taking a spot next to Nihlus, the Turian SpecTRe.

"The board is green. Approach run has begun. Hitting the relay in 3… 2… 1…"

She saw space distort outside the ship, signalling that the _Normandy_ had just jumped through the mass relay. She nodded to Lieutenant Alenko when he noticed her approach. Normal space reformed around the ship as they exited the relay.

Joker, the pilot checked the ships status, "Thrusters, check. Navigation, check. Internal emissions sink engaged. All systems online. Drift… just under 1500 K."

Nihlus nodded, seemingly satisfied, "1500 is good. Your captain will be pleased." He turned to leave, nodding to Pyrrha as he left.

"I hate that guy…" Joker said, once the SpecTRe was out of earshot.

Kaidan raised an eyebrow, "Nihlus gave you a compliment… so you hate him?"

The pilot nodded. "You remember to zip up your jumpsuit on the way out of the bathroom? That's good. I just jumped us halfway across the galaxy and hit a target the size of a pinhead. So that's incredible. Besides, SpecTRes are trouble. I don't like having them on board. Call me paranoid."

"You're paranoid. The Council helped fund this project. They have a right to send someone to keep an eye on their investment."

Joker rolled his eyes, "Yeah, that's the official story. But only an idiot believes the official story."

"I agree with you on that, Joker," Pyrrha said. "There's no way they sent Nihlus just to observe a shakedown run."

"So, there's more going on here than the captain's letting on."

"_Joker! Status report!" _Anderson's voice came over the comms.

"Just cleared the mass relay, sir," Joker replied. "Stealth systems engaged. Everything looks solid."

"_Good. Find a comm buoy and link us into the network. I want mission reports relayed back to Alliance brass before we reach Eden Prime._

Joker nodded, "Aye, sir. Better brace yourself, though. I think Nihlus is heading your way."

"_He's already here, Flight Lieutenant."_

Pyrrha had to resist the urge to swat Joker upside the head.

"_Tell Commander Nikos to meet me in the comm room for a debriefing."_

"On my way, sir," Pyrrha acknowledged, turning to head back.

"He sounds angry," Kaidan observed. "Something must have gone wrong with the mission."

Joker scoffed, "Captain always sounds like that when he's talking to me…"

"I can't possibly imagine why."

* * *

As she entered the comm room, she saw that Nihlus was alone.

"Commander Nikos," Nihlus greeted. "I was hoping you'd get here first. It gives us a chance to talk."

"What about?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm interested in this world we're going to — Eden Prime. I've heard it's quite beautiful."

"It is. I've been there. It's quite the paradise."

"Yes… a paradise," the Turian seemed ponderous. "Serene… tranquil… safe.. Eden Prime has become something of a symbol for your people, hasn't it? Proof that humanity can not only establish colonies across the galaxy, but can also protect those colonies. But how safe is it really?"

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked. "Do you know something?"

"Your people are still newcomers, Nikos. The galaxy can be a very dangerous place. Is the Alliance truly ready for this?"

They turned as the door opened to admit Captain Anderson.

"I'm fairly certain you saw what happened during the Blitz, Nihlus," the captain said. "Is that really a question you need to ask? I think it's about time we told the commander what was really going on."

"Sir?"

"This mission is far more than a simple shakedown run," Nihlus said.

Pyrrha rolled her eyes, "Well, that was obvious from the moment you came onboard, Nihlus."

"We're making a covert pick-up on Eden Prime," Anderson said. "That's why we needed the stealth systems operational."

"What are we picking up, sir?"

Anderson looked more serious than usual. "This comes down from the top, Commander. Information strictly on a need-to-know basis. A research team on Eden Prime unearthed some kind of beacon during an excavation. It was Prothean."

"Really?!" Pyrrha had studied the Protheans briefly before she enlisted. "That's amazing! Do we know what it's for?"

Anderson shook his head. "No, but this is big, Pyrrha. The last time humanity made a discovery like this, it jumped our technology forward two hundred years. Unfortunately, Eden Prime doesn't have the facilities for something like this. We need to bring the beacon back to the Citadel for proper study."

_That_ got Pyrrha's attention. She hadn't been to the Citadel in a while. _I'll have to see if Tela is there._

"Obviously, this goes beyond mere human interests, Commander. This discovery could affect every species in Council space."

"Well, I'm certainly glad you're here to assist, Nihlus," Pyrrha said.

"That's not the only reason I'm here, Nikos."

Anderson nodded, "Nihlus wants to see you in action, Pyrrha. He's here to evaluate you."

"You mean..?" Pyrrha was shocked. "The Council wants _me_ for the SpecTRes?"

Nihlus nodded. "No one else has ever done what you have, Nikos. You nearly single handedly held back the Blitz. You've been in the spotlight for only a short time but you're already considered a legend. Even the Hierarchy knows you as the Angel of Elysium.

"But I need to see your skills for myself, Commander. Hopefully, Eden Prime will be the first of several missions together."

"_Captain! We've got a big problem!"_ Joker's voice came over the shipcomm.

"What is it, Joker?"

"_Transmission from Eden Prime, sir. You better see this!"_

"Put it on screen."

Pyrrha looked at the screen as it fizzled to life. She could see what appeared to be a rocky region of Eden Prime. There was yelling and gunfire. The air was filled with smoke. She was instantly reminded of her arrival on Mindoir. A soldier in pink came close to the feed.

"_This is Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties! I repeat: HEAVY CASUALTIES! We need immediate evacuation! They came out of nowhere! We need-!"_

An explosion went off as Williams was knocked out of view. The camera panned up as something came into view… It seemed like fingers reaching through the clouds… Something about it chilled Pyrrha to the bone. She didn't know what it was, but she knew something terrible had just happened. All she could think of was her last night at Beacon.


	4. Eden Prime

_"This is Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams. We are under attack! Taking heavy casualties! I repeat: HEAVY CASUALTIES! We need immediate evacuation! They came out of nowhere! We need-!"_

* * *

Pyrrha jumped as she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned to the owner and saw Nihlus and Anderson looking concerned. "What is it, Pyrrha? Do you recognize it?"

Pyrrha took a second to calm herself. She realized she was shaking. "No, it just seems familiar. Reminds me of my last night in high school." She knew Anderson understood what she meant.

"Grab your gear, we're sending you and Nihlus in with Jenkins and Alenko," the captain said. "They're already suiting up."

Feeling better, Pyrrha turned to properly face the captain, saluting. "Aye, sir! Apologies for spacing out, sir."

"None needed, Commander. I understand completely."

The captain always knew how to make her feel better. She nodded to him and left.

* * *

As Pyrrha suited up, all she could think of was how much things she had changed. She had gone from a scared, defeated girl to a galactically famous soldier. She'd saved colonies and even planets. Once again, she couldn't help wondering if maybe this was her destiny… Maybe she'd been meant to "die" at Beacon.

"You alright, Commander?" Kaidan piped in.

"I'm fine, Kaidan," Pyrrha replied. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine."

She double checked her armor before securing her weapons. Since the Skyllian Blitz, she'd been granted permission to commission a new weapon set. She'd had Miló and Akoúo̱ remade in this new world. Unfortunately it was beyond their technology for Miló to have three forms, so a specialized DMR was also commissioned: Théama. Though the mission had changed to something more serious, she was genuinely excited to use it. She'd had precious few opportunities to wield it outside of the firing range.

"Interesting choice in arms, Nikos," Nihlus commented. "Aren't a sword and shield a bit… primitive?"

"Maybe to some," Pyrrha replied. "But I've trained with these weapons since I was a little girl. I trust my sword and shield more than any gun."

"Really?" Nihlus seemed doubtful.

"Yes, these are the traditional weapons of my ancestors."

"You haven't seen the vids, Nihlus?" Jenkins, asked.

"No, Private. I don't have time to watch vids."

"She fought three Krogan in an exhibition fight once with nothing but Miló and Akoúo̱," Jenkins bragged. "They couldn't even touch her!"

"Is that so?" Nihlus didn't seem impressed.

The door to the lift opened with a hiss as Anderson joined the team in the cargo bay. Pyrrha, Kaidan, and Jenkins turned to give the captain their undivided attention.

"Your team is the muscle in this operation, Commander," he stated. "Go in heavy and head straight for the dig site."

"What about survivors, Captain?" Kaidan asked.

The captain looked grim. "Helping survivors is a secondary objective. The beacon's your top priority.

Pyrrha didn't like it. Her primary goal in life was protecting and saving the innocent.

_"Approaching drop point one, Captain."_

"Nihlus, you're coming with us?"

Pyrrha turned to where Jenkins was looking and, sure enough, Nihlus entered in full armor. Nihlus shook his head at Jenkins' question.

"I move faster on my own."

And proceeded to leap out of the still airborne ship. Pyrrha rolled her eyes. I hope he had a decent landing strategy. She returned her attention to the captain.

"Nihlus will scout ahead. He'll feed you status reports throughout the mission; otherwise, I want radio silence."

"Understood, sir," Pyrrha acknowledged. "We've got his back."

"The mission's yours now, Pyrrha. Good luck."

_"We are approaching drop point two."_

She felt the _Normandy_ shifting as they moved over a cliffside.

"Good luck, everyone."

* * *

As the three soldiers landed, they took in their surroundings. There were no signs of life anywhere. The once peaceful and beautiful farmlands had been decimated. The sight broke Pyrrha's heart. This was a peaceful colony. No one deserved this. She heard her comm chime.

_"This place got hit hard, Nikos,"_ Nihlus crackled. _"Hostiles are everywhere. Keep your guard up."_

"Acknowledged," Pyrrha responded, clicking off her comm.

As they moved through the ruins, Pyrrha could see gas bags, the harmless, yet still hazardous, indiginous life forms of this world, floating around. How they managed to survive the attack, she didn't know…

In little time, they came across the first remains of the colonists; burnt and unidentifiable. They soon came to another cliff, though the terrain was rockier. The three stack up behind some rocks as they hear a slight whirring . Pyrrha signaled for the group to move and they were instantly caught in the hail of energy fire from strange drones. As she shielded herself from the initial assault, she caught a glimpse of Jenkins moving ahead and being cut down. She unfolded Théama and brought it to bear on one of the drones.

_CRACK! THUD!_

Within seconds, Kaidan and Pyrrha had dealt with the drones. They came to rest at Jenkins' body. Pyrrha knelt down and closed his eyes.

"Those drones tore right through his shields…" Kaidan said. "He never had a chance."

"We'll see that he receives a proper burial once the mission is complete," Pyrrha said. "But I need you to stay focused"

"Understood, ma'am."

Her comm chimed, _"I've got some burned out buildings here, Nikos… A lot of bodies. I'm going to check it out. I'll try to catch up with you at the dig site."_

They pressed on until they were confronted by another batch of drones. Pyrrha could hear yelling ahead of them, past the trees, along with gunfire.

They quickly dispatched with the drones and took cover behind a large boulder. Peering around the rock, Pyrrha saw the soldier from the distress call, Williams, being pursued by what appeared to be Geth. _How is that possible? They haven't been out of the Perseus Veil in nearly 200 years…_

She motioned for Kaidan to stay down as she stood, readying Akoúo̱. With well honed, military precision, she flung her shield at the Geth guiding it with her semblance as it sliced through one, then the other.

The Geth were on the ground in four pieces before they realized what was going on. Williams noticed she wasn't being pursued anymore and unloaded her rifle into their remains. Signaling to Kaidan that everything was clear, she approached Williams, summoning her shield to her. She turned to Pyrrha, holstering her weapon.

"Are you alright, Williams?" Pyrrha asked.

"Thanks for your help, Commander," Williams said. "I've got a few scrapes and burns, but nothing serious. The others weren't so lucky. We were patrolling the perimeter when they attacked. We tried sending off a distress call, but they cut off our communications. Been fighting for my life ever since."

"Where's the rest of your squad?"

"We tried to double back to the beacon, but we walked into an ambush… I think I'm the only one left."

Pyrrha laid a comforting hand on Williams' shoulder. "The blame isn't yours to carry."

"Yes, ma'am. We held our position as long as we could. Until the Geth overwhelmed us."

"Do you have any idea why the Geth are here?"

Williams looked thoughtful, "They must be here for the beacon… The dig site is close. Just over that rise. It might still be there."

"Lead the way, Williams," Pyrrha said. "You're with us now."

"Understood, ma'am," Williams saluted. "I'm honored."

Pyrrha nodded to the woman, "The honor is all mine, Williams, you held your position and fought well."

The three soldiers gathered what gear they could and moved on, not noticing a dark haired man, staring intently at the redhead.


	5. Interlude One: The First Two Years

_ "But even Aura has limits. Go too long without rest and your Aura will break. If I run out of Aura, I can still fight, but I won't be able to use my Semblance and will be limited in my physical capabilities. I'm only as fast and strong as I am because of my Aura." _

_ "That's fascinating, Pyrrha!" Chakwas exclaimed. _

_ Anderson nodded, "It really is. Not to sound like a recruiter, but that's exactly the sort of thing we could use in the Navy. That's entirely up to you of course, but you should consider it. You'd be working to defend humanity and our allies." _

_ "May I have some time to consider the decision?" _

_ "Of course. Take all the time you need." Anderson stated. He stood to excuse himself, "I'll be in my office. Feel free to have Dr. Chakwas send for me once you make your choice." _

* * *

Pyrrha knew she wasn't ready for a commitment like joining the military, she needed to figure out who she wanted to be in this new world, she had no one but herself anymore

Pyrrha spent the next few weeks on the _ Tokyo _ learning about the universe she found herself in. It was, apparently, the latter half of their 22nd century. Humanity came from a world called Earth.

She'd discovered that Earth was rather similar to Remnant, there was no Dust, Semblances, Aura, or Grimm. They'd only begun exploring beyond their atmosphere relatively recently. They'd discovered some secret cache of knowledge on a neighboring planet that jump-started their technology to a point beyond anything she'd seen on Remnant.

She'd gotten along fairly well with Captain Anderson and Doctor Chakwas. Eventually, they'd gotten to the point where she honestly saw them as friends.

The doctor arranged for a therapist to be available when they reached Arcturus Station, where they'd be dropping her off. She couldn't stay on the _ Tokyo _beyond that point as she was technically a civilian. She knew it wouldn't last forever and knew she'd need to talk to someone about all she'd been through. After about a month of getting new clothes and a few other possessions for her, Anderson and Chakwas were there to see her off. They'd promised to stay in touch at least once a month.

* * *

So, there she was, living on her own on a space station in an alternate universe. It was like something out of a movie. It didn't take long for her to get settled. Anderson arranged for someone to bring her up to speed on the history and technology of the universe.

Eventually, she got a job waitressing in a diner on station, slowly building up her own savings. She went to her therapist once a week and stayed in touch with Anderson and Chakwas twice a month. She'd tell the therapist everything, her time at Sanctum, being a world champion fighter, her short time at Beacon, and the friends she'd probably never see again. Her therapist listened and advised, never judging, and even held her as she cried occasionally.

* * *

Soon, half a year had gone by and Pyrrha had mostly acclimatized to her new environment. She had a few friends on station and had even dated some, though nothing came of them beyond having a good time. She'd honestly felt better than she had in a long time; since before the Vytal tournament, even. She clocked out of her last shift and went to her small, spartan apartment. It was her last day at Arcturus Station, she'd gotten a job offer on the Citadel. She'd had a small going away party the night before with her friends and coworkers.

The Citadel, she'd learned quickly, was the center of galactic civilization. It was where the different alien species held their embassies and laws and policies were made. She hadn't been this excited to move since she started at Beacon. She was looking forward to meeting members of other species.

* * *

Once on the Citadel, Pyrrha began her new job as a model… for combat armor. She had worn her old gear to a costume party on Arcturus and someone had gotten their hands on a picture of her. She was flattered, of course, and jumped at the opportunity to travel.

Time went by, and she'd gotten settled again, made new friends, kept in touch with her therapist as well as Anderson and Chakwas. Eventually, she began to get restless. She wasn't exactly looking to fight people, but she knew she had to keep her skills sharp. She searched on the extranet, seeing if competitive fighting was a thing on the Citadel. She soon found a professional combat league and entered. The league officials seemed sceptical that she'd last, with her gentle and friendly demeanor. She quickly proved them wrong.

After a short time, she'd built up a small fanbase. Her fans called her the Crimson Amazon. It was like being the Invincible Girl again. She felt more alive than she had in awhile.

* * *

Soon, it had been almost two years living in this universe. She felt content, happy, she had friends, dated some, and even become famous again, though on a much smaller scale. There still came a time, once in a while, where people wouldn't know who she was. Occasionally someone would hit on her or challenge her and she'd be forced to put them through a table. She'd always pay for the damages of course.

She still stayed in touch with Anderson and Chakwas, the closest things she had to family here. She rarely saw her therapist anymore, it wasn't needed. She still kept in touch though, they'd helped her get through so much trauma, she felt it'd be rude not to.

* * *

Then, she turned on her TV… On the news, she saw footage of a Council ship being hijacked. The Citadel Council was on it! Acting quickly, she moved to put on her armor. It wasn't her old gear, but it still bore her colors, and at the buckle of her belt, a double crescent moon with a spear through it.

She ran to the docking bay as she could, making full use of her Aura and Semblance to ensure people, vehicles, and doors were out of her way. Skidding to a halt at the docks, she ran for the nearest rental shuttle. Before she could open it, she felt a taloned hand gripping her shoulder.

"Excuse me, miss, but all civilian ships are grounded until we can save the Councilors," the Turian said. "I'm gonna have to ask you to return to your home."

She turned to him, a determined look on her face. He had blue markings on his face.

"I'll gladly go home," she said. "As soon as I make sure I've done my part to save the Council. If you wanna arrest me, you'll have to wait till I get back."

She tapped a button on the ship, opening the door, and got in. As she was about to close the door and start it up, she felt the vessel shift. Turning, she saw the C-Sec officer getting in with her.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making sure you don't get yourself or the Councilors killed," the Turian said. "I'll fly you up there. I'm Garrus Vakarian." He held out his hand.

Pyrrha took it, "Pyrrha Nikos. Thank you. Can you get me to a docking port?"

Garrus nodded and powered up the shuttle.

Soon, the ship got close to a docking port and Pyrrha handed Garrus his helmet, "Put this on, I'm going outside."

As he put his helmet on, she activated the atmoseal on her own suit and opened the door. As the vacuum pulled her out she focused all her power on the Council ship. Using her Semblance, she pulled herself towards it and forced the door to slide open. Gliding into the ship, she let the outer door snap shut again. She could hear alarms blaring.

_ "How is there a breach alert?!" _ she heard a deep voice yell over the ship's PA. _ "Someone get down there!" _

As she worked her way toward the bridge, she could hear the pounding of booted feet heading her way. She turned a corner and was confronted by several armed Batarians.

"Surrender, human," the lead Batarian called out. "You're outnumbered and unarmed!"

She smirked.

A few of the Batarians shuffled nervously, only to open fire as she charged. With practiced grace, she flipped over the group, pulling a rifle from one of them. In several controlled bursts, she took out the pirates' knees.

In seconds, the pirates were on the ground, writhing in pain. With a flick of her wrist, the Batarians were slammed into a wall and knocked unconscious. She grabbed her confiscated rifle and kept running. Eventually, she came across the entrance to the bridge. Through the window she could see the councilors as well as the bridge crew. They were held at gunpoint by four Vorcha and a rather burly Batarian.

_ BANG! _

The door to the bridge was blasted off its track and slammed into the four Vorcha before they had time to react. The Batarian trained his weapon on her only to see a flying kick heading his way.

In an instant, the Batarian was knocked off his feet, his gun knocked across the room. He got back up, standing at least half a foot taller than her and swung. They exchanged blows for a time, neither truly getting the upper hand, until Pyrrha pulled the bridge door and slammed it into the pirate's back. She could hear a sickening crunch as he fell, dead.

* * *

Pyrrha helped the bridge crew secure the ship and ensure the pirates were all accounted for. Soon, the ship was brought into the Citadel docks and C-Sec took the pirates into custody. While C-Sec and medics swarmed the Council to ensure they were okay, a Turian came up to Pyrrha, looking livid.

"AND JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!" he asked, shoving a talon in her face. "YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN YOURSELF KILLED! OR WORSE, THE COUNCILLORS!"

"Enough, Venari!" came a voice. The two of them turned to see the Turian Councilor, Sparatus, approach. "Is that any way to talk to the woman who saved our lives?"

"But Councilor-!"

"That's enough, Executor," Tevos, the Asari Councilor spoke, sternly. She turned to Pyrrha. "Ms. Nikos, we'd like to thank you for your bravery."

"Without your quick thinking, we may very well have not survived," Valern, the Salarian Councilor stated. "We'd like to present you with a medal if you'd be willing."

Pyrrha flushed. "Thank you, Councilors," she said, "but, I'd rather not have any special ceremony put on just for me. I'm not really fond of the spotlight."

"Says the champion fighter," mutters Pallin.

She glared at the Turian, "I fight in that combat league to keep my skills sharp, Executor, not for the glory."

Pallin rolled his eyes.

"While we do understand and respect your position," Sparatus said, "We insist on at least presenting the medal. No ceremony, it can all be done right here. Pallin, will you stand as witness?"

Pallin seemed surprised, but nodded.

"It's settled then," Tevos declared.

The three councilors straightened as they addressed Pyrrha.

"Pyrrha Nikos, it is on this day that we award you the Palladium Star," Sparatus spoke. "For your bravery and selflessness in your rescue of us."

Pyrrha bowed respectfully to the councilors. "Thank you, Councilors. I'm honored."

They returned her bow and bade her farewell. Pallin joined them, glaring at her as they left. Pyrrha sighed as she went home. Her mind was made up as she went to get in touch with Anderson, her soon to be superior officer. She was enlisting.

* * *

Pyrrha awoke with a gasp, sitting up. Looking around, she saw she was in an empty, white void. The last thing she remembered was throwing Ashley Williams clear of the Beacon and getting caught in its grasp. She remembered a vision of horrors, flesh being peeled from bone and being fused with metal. Alien voices screaming. She remembered losing Jenkins and finding Nihlus' dead body.

"Oh, you're finally awake," drawled a bored sounding voice.

She looked around frantically, not seeing anyone, "Who's there?"

There was a slight flash of light and a man appeared. He seemed to be middle-aged with dark hair. He stood tall and had a superior look to him. He wore an unfamiliar uniform: Black pants and shirt with red shoulders. There were four gold pips across the right side of his collar and strange insignia on the left side of his shirt.

"Who are you?" she asked again. "And why have you abducted me?"

The man gasped, hand over his heart, seemingly shocked at her accusation, "Abducted? My dear Invincible Girl, if it weren't for me you'd be spending the rest of eternity in some godforsaken limbo. I brought you to the reality you've lived in for the past thirteen years. I… am Q."


End file.
